Wire-stretcher.



C. E. MARTIN.

WIRE STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED Nov.2e. 1913.

Patented July 20, 1915.

'- 3 SHEETS-SHEET Gum,

COLUMBIA PLANouRAPH C0,, WASHINGTON, D. c.

C. E. MARTIN.

4 WIRE STRETCHER.. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26, 1913.

Patented July 20, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wiicoow @1 COLUMBIA PLANDORAPH CKLIWASHINHTON. D. c.

C. E. MARTIN.

WIRE STRETCHER.

APPLlCAT l0N HLED NOV. 2a. 1913.

Patented Jul 20, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D. c.

GLARAN'CE E. MARTIN, OF GRAYSVILLE, OHIO.

WIRE-STBETGHER.

Application filed November 26, 1913. Serial No.

the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a combined wire stretcher, liftingjack, and post puller, and the improvement resides in the construction,combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the followingdescription and falling within thescope of the appended claims. 7

In the drawings there has been illustrated a simple and preferredreduction of my improvement to practice, and in which drawings:

Figure 1 is aside elevation of a device constructed in accordance withthe present invention, the side plate ofthe pawl-controlling mechanismbeing removed, Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, Fig. 3 is a detailcentral longitudinal sectional view, Fig. 4 is a detail side elevation,partsbeing broken away illustrating the reverse lever operated to permitof a retrograde step by step movement of the rack bar, the operatinglever being shown swung the limit of its forward movement, Fig. 5 is asimilar view illustrating the position of the parts when the lever isreturning to its initial position, Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional viewtaken approximately on the line 0c-.r of Fig. 2, Fig. 7 is a detail viewof the pawl-controlling mechanism, Fig. 8 is an elevation illustratingthe device when employed as a lifting jack, Fig. 9 is a similar viewillustrating the device employed as a post puller of the central portionof the improvement, Fig. 10 is a detail perspective View of the base ofthe jack, Fig. 11 is a similar view of the spear, and Fig. 12 is abottom plan view.

The improvement contemplates the em ployment of a substantiallyrectangular casing 1 which is properly proportioned to meet therequirements, and the said casing has either integrally formed therewith.or secured thereto, in any desired or preferred manner, a ack head 2which is arranged adjacent one of the longitudinal faces ofthe casinganddisposed tooneof the corners of the casing. The opposite corner of theeasing is provided with a bail 3 to which is secured a chain 4., as wellas a number of connected rings 5. The chain has its end linkSpecification of Letters Patent. I

Patented July 20,1915. 2

connected with a keeper bar 6, the said bar being of a size suflicientto pass through any of the links,- or through the usual latch memberconnected with the chain, so as to form the end of the chain with a loopwhen desired.

The longitudinal sides of the casing 1 are each provided with cam grips7, each of said grlps being of the usual formation, comprising a handlehaving a camface which is adapted to be swung toward the horizontal orangular member upon the casing, to grip a. wlre between the cam and thesaid flanged member.

The casing l is formed with a centrally arranged longitudinallyextending passage 8-, for the reception of a rack bar 9. The face of thecasing, whichprovides the upper face thereof when the device is arrangedas a.w1re stretcher, is open, and the passage 8 is of a less width thanthe width of the casing proper. The side walls'of the casing, above thepassage 8,-and at the corners of. the casing, are provided withbearingme r'nbers 10 and 11 respectively which not. only properly spacethe sides. of the casing, butwhich bear directly upon the toothed faceof the bar 9. The bearing member 11 is in the form of a spool andfispivotally conneoted to the sides of the casing. The central portion ofthe spool. bears directly upon j the teeth of the rack bar, while theflanged ends of the spool are disposed a slight distance above the upperwalls formed by the passage 8. f i

The upper edgesof the side walls of the casing, at the ends thereof, arehorizontal-1y straight, but gradually curve upwardly toward the centerof the casing, so that the said central portion of each of the sidesisextended arcuately, as indicated bythe numerals 12. I The bottom of thecasing, adj acent the opposite ends thereof, is centrally formed withopenings 13'which enter the passage 8, each ofthe openings being adaptedfor the reception of a roller 14 which is mounted for rotation upon asuitable shaft which passes transversely through the opening and each ofwhich bear upon the lower face of the rack bar 9. The operatinghandle,which is designated by the numeral 15, is pivotally connected, as at16,between the arcuate portions 12 of the side members of the casing,and the lower portion of the said handle 15 is bifurcated, as at 17, thepivot 16 passing through the arms provided by' the said bifurcation. Theside of the handle 15, at what may be termed the outer end of thecasing, is notched, as at 18, and the numeral 19 designates a stop platewhich comprises a flat curved member that has its lower sides providedwith trunnions 20 that are received within suitable openings formed inthe sides of the casing, and the upper edge of said member is adapted tobe received within the notch 13 to limit the swinging movement of thehandle 15 in one direction, and to normally sustain the handle at aright angle to the casing. Pivotally secured within the bifurcatedportion of the handle is an upper or working pawl 21, and a lowerholding pawl 22. The pawl 21 has secured to its inner face one of theend convolutions of a helical spring 23, the opposite end of the saidspring being secured to the stop plate 19, the spring serving as meansfor forcing the tooth of the pawl 21 into engagement with the teeth ofthe rack bar 9 as well as causing the curved stop plate to have itsengaging end at all times bearing upon the face of the handle 15 and sothe spring serves also as a means for returning the operating handle toits initial and normal position. The second or holding dog 22 isprovided, adjacent its engaging portion or tooth, with a link 24 whichprojects downwardly through a suitable opening 25 in one side of thecasing, and the bottom of the said casing is provided with a groove orrecess 26 which gradually deepens toward the opening 26 with which itcommunicates. Arranged within the groove or recess 26 is a flat spring27, the end of which being connected with the link 24, so the pawl 22 isnormally forced into engagement with the teeth of the rack bar. Each ofthe pawls 21 and 22 is provided with a lifting handle 28 and 29respectively which serves as a means for lifting the pawls out ofengagement with the teeth of the rack bar, and so permitting quickretrograde movement of the rack bar when desired. Both of the handles 28and 29 have their upper edges formed with offset or angularfinger-engaging portions, and each of said handles may be so connectedwith its respective pawl as to raise the same when the finger of theoperator engages beneath the angular portions of each of the pawls andexerts an upward and swinging movement thereon, so as to cause the saidpawls to be swung concentrically of their pivots.

One of the sides of the casing 1, above the rack bar passage 8, isprovided with a longitudinally extending elongated opening 30, whileeach of the pawls is provided, adjacent its engaging face or tooth withangular studs 31 and 32 respectively which enter the said opening andwhich, through the medium of the springs of the pawls, will be forcedtoward the lower wall formed by the opening. The studs, however, projecta suitable distance beyond the side of the casing and are prevented fromcontacting with the said lower wall of the opening, in a manner whichwill presently be set forth. Also the studs may, and preferably are,provided with anti-frictional rollers.

Arranged upon the side of the casing hav ing the elongated opening is asubstantially rectangular frame 33. The frame, at the upper portionthereof, is provided with an elongated slot or opening which is arrangedover the opening 30, and the lower wall indicated by the numeral 34, islongitudinaly straight and serves as a guide or bearing face for thestuds 31-32. The

frame 33 is centrally formed with an elongated opening 35, and with alower elongated opening 36 and the connecting wall 37 between the saidopenings and 36 is formed adjacent the end walls of said openings withpassages or openings, designated by the numerals 38 and 39 respectively,and these passages are adapted to receive the reduced, substantiallyrectangular shanks 40 and 41 respectively of curved headed members 42and 43 respectively, the said heads being arranged for movement withinelongated passages provided in the bearing face 34. The shanks 40-41 arepreferably notched for the reception of one end of flat springs 44 and45 respectively. The portions of the shanks projecting within thepassage 36 have their ends pivotally connected to a longitudinallyextending bar 46, and the said bar has centrally pivotally connect edthereto a link 47 which in turn is pivotally connected with a rod 48.The rod extends through an opening in the frame 33, and is approximatelycentrally pivoted, as at 49. The opening through which the rod projectsis elongated. Pivotally connected with the said projecting portion ofthe rod 48 is, what I term, a reverse lever 50. The lever 50 passesthrough a slot 51 in the offset arm of a bracket 52 which is secured tothe end of the casing.

hen the device is employed as a stretcher and the pressure upon the rackbar is excessive, the heads 42 and 43 are in the position shown in Fig.1 of the drawings, that is, when the reverse lever 50 is drawn upwardlyof the bracket 52, and the said lever is provided with a notch 53 whichis adapted to be swung over the bracket 52 adjacent the slot 51, so thesaid headed members are retained in this position. When in suchposition, it will be noted that the head 42 is lowered to the level ofthe bearing wall 34, while the head 43 is projected slightly above thesaid wall. Thus the stud 32 contacts with the wall 34, and the stud 31rides upon the curved head 43. The spring 27 holds the pawl 22 inengagement with the teeth of the rack bar 9, while the pawl 21 may beraised above the said teeth upon the return movement of the operatinglever or handle 15. A forward movement of the handle will force the studof the working pawl 21 over the rounded face of the head 43 to permit ofthe working face of the pawl being lowered to engage with one of theteeth of the rack bar and force the said rack bar in the direction ofthe'arrow 54. A reverse movement of the operatingmem ber 15 will bringthe stud 31 again over the head 43 and will cause the pawl 21' to beagain raised out of engagement with the teeth, the sard'movement alsoswlnging the pawl 22 toward the'said arrow 54, and further advancing therack bar in the direction of the arrow. Such operation is continueduntil the desired longitudinal movement of the rack bar hasbeenobtained, or until the rack bar reaches the entire limit of its movementin the direction of the said arrow. The bar is provided with stops 55which are adapted to contact with the end of'the casing provided withthe jack head 2, to limit the movement of the rack bar in one directionand the end of the rack bar adjacent the said stops is provided with awire clamp 56, the

same being loosely connected thereto, but

being ofany desired or preferred construction. In the operation of'thedevice it should have been stated that the chain 4 is arranged upon apostto secure the device to the post, and that one end of the wire isengaged by the wire clamp 56.

The wire maybe clamped by either of the cam grips 7 if desired, and aswill be readily understood.

It frequently occurs that thQ WII'G is' stretched too tight, and that acertain amount of slack therein is desired, and to permit suchslackpawls may be brought,

entirely out of engagement with the toothed rack, the strain of the tautwire would be sufficient to entirely remove the rack bar from thecasing. Also, when the device is; r

thecasingtotravel upon the rack bar, and

used as a lifting jack, in a manner whichwill presently be set forth, itis desirable that the jack, after elevating an axle. or the like to asuflicient height, shall allow the said axle-to gradually drop withoutinflicting injury to the wheels upon the axle, and to accomplish both ofthese purposes, the reversing device carried within the frame 33 isprovided. Now, by reference particularly to Fig. 7 of the drawings, itwill be noted that when the reverse lever 50 is swung to bring its notch53 out of engagement with the bracket 52 as illustrated in Figs. 4 and5, the springs 44 and 45 exerting a tension upon the shanks 40 and 41 ofthe heads 40 and 42 will elevate both of the said heads 42 and 43 adesired distance above the bearing face 34. The stud 31, of the pawl 23when the handle 15 is in the position illustrated in Fig. 5, is retainedcentrally upon the head 43, while the stud 32 has entirely passed overthe head 42, so that the pawl 22 engages with one of' the teeth of therack bar. It must, of course, be understood that ,a pull is directedupon-the rack bar in a direction reverse to the arrow 54. Now, thehandle1-5 isiswung in the direction ofthe arrow 54, which causes thestud 32 of the pawl22 to travel onthe headfl42 to raise the said pawlout of engagement'with the teeth of the rack bar." The length ofthe head42 and 43 is greater than the distance" between the teeth of thel'mckbar by the position of thestud 32 with relation to the head 42, and thearrangement of the stud 31- of the pawl 21 upon the head 43 is such thatsaid rack bar when the pawl 22 is entirely raised from engagemen't'withthe teeth, thus permitting a retrograde movement. of the rack barequalling approximately one-half of the length of one ofthe teeth ofsaid rack 1 bar. This movement be kept up until the desired amount ofslack is obtained when the device is used as a wire stretcher, or untilthe casing and its jack head 2 are lowered upon the bar when thedevice'is employed as a jack.

When stretching wire andthere is'no post or tree to which the chain 4may be attached,

I provide the forward end of the rackbar'c with a removable spear 57.-Ihrevers'e the position of the device, that-is, I insert the pointed endof the spear in whatin'ay be termed the outer face of theend post. *Asstated the cam grips are arranged. upon the opposite sides of thecasing. I hold the casing and operate the lever 15 which causes when thewire is properly arranged upon the side of the fence, I secure the saidwire thereto by the employment of staples. This may be accomplished withease by simply allowing the casing to bear upon the side of the operatorand to prevent the spear from becoming disengaged from the end post.

The spear is formed with a socket 58 which is adapted to snugly receivethe end of the rack bar, and the said spear, is provided with a threadedopening upon one of its sides which communicates ,with the socket, the

said opening being provided for the rece'p-" tion of a thumb screw 59.When the device is employed as a lifting jack, I remove the spear 57,and substitute in lieu thereof, a base 60. The base provides arectangular member having its upper. face centrally formed with anenlarged boss 61, the boss causing the pawls to be disengaged from therack bar. The reverse lever is in its upper position, that is, the head42 is arranged below or in a plane with the bearing member 34, and thehead 43 is only slightly projected beyond the said face. The lever isthen operated, as above described, until the axle is sufiicientlyraised. In lowering the axle, the reverse lever is operated to permit ofthe heads 42 and 43 projecting beyond the bearing wall or face 34, andthe operation of the lever permits of the downward movement of the jackhead and casing step by step until the wheels of the vehicle arereturned'to the ground. "When the device is employed for raising postsfrom their holes-in the ground, the base is still retained upon the rackbar, and the chain 4 may be wrapped around the post, or gripping membersmay be attached to either the bar 3 or the rings 5 which also engagewith the post. The handle 15 is actuated by one hand of the operator,and the operators second hand is em ployed for steadying the post aswell as for slightly moving the post to loosen the earth within which itis imbedded.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the simplicity of the device as well as the advantages thereofwill, it is thought, be perfectly apparent to those skilled in the artto which such inventions appertain without further detailed description.7

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. In a device for the purpose set forth, a casing having its sidesprovided with cam grips, a rack bar extending through the casing, ahandle pivoted to the casing, pawls pivotally connected with the handleand coacting with the rack bar, springs for holding the pawls inengagement with the teeth of the rack bar, means for elevating one ofthe pawls above the teeth of the rack bar when the handle is in aninoperative posi- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five centseach, by addressing the I of said heads being tion, a stop memberco-acting with the handle, the spring of the last mentioned pawl adaptedto be also connected with the stop.

2. In a device for the purpose set forth, a casing provided with apassage, a rack bar arranged within the passage andextending beyond thecasing, a handle pivotally connected with the casing, two pawlspivotally connected with the handle, springs for forcing the pawls totheir work, a stud arranged transversely of each of the pawls, a bearingface for the studs, tWo members having curved heads, means for normallysustaining one of the headed members below the bearing face and thesecond headed member partially projected beyond the said face to providea surface upon which the stud of one of the members will act to raiseone of the pawls out of engagement with the tooth rack when the handleis moved in one direction, and means for projecting this head andforcing the second head over the bearing face to permit the studsalternatively engaging with the said heads and whereby both of the pawlswill be momentarily brought out of engagement with the rack bar when thehandle is operated.

3. In a device for the purpose set forth, a casing having a passage, arack bar arranged within the passage, a pivoted operating handle, aworking pawl and a holding pawl pivotally connected with the handle, astop member comprising a swinging plate bearing against the handle andadapted to engage with a notch therein to prevent the movement of thehandle in one direction, a spring upon the casing, a rod connecting theholding pawl of the spring, and a spring connecting the working pawlwith the swinging plate, the pawls-each having a transverse stud passingthrough an opening in the casing, a frame upon the casing, provid ing abearing face for the stud, spring pressed members having curved heads,one partly projected above the bearing face and co-acting with the studof one of the pawls, and locking means for the headed members forsustaining the heads thereof in contacting position-with the studs ofthe respective pawls.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLARANCE E. MARTIN.

W'itnesses NINA WHITAORE, LELA MARTIN.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

